U.S. President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe hold a joint news conference in Tokyo in November 2017. (Asahi Shimbun file photo)
The Asahi Shimbun: Japan shocked to be left out in cold by Trump on North Korea
The U.S. president trumpeted during a March 9 phone call with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe that he had "good news."
It was anything but.
The U.S. leader's announcement of a planned historic summit meeting by the end of May with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un caught Japan off-guard and dismayed as Tokyo had stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Washington on maintaining maximum pressure on Pyongyang to rein in its military provocations.
"It never occurred to us that such a decision would be made at this time," said a high-ranking Foreign Ministry official, describing the shockwaves reverberating in Tokyo.
Read more ....
Update #1: Trump-Kim summit fans Japan fears of being sidelined on North Korea (Reuters)
Update #2: Japan fears being left out in cold as US-North Korea ties thaw (The Telegraph)
WNU Editor: The Japanese hate surprises .... even though President Trump has a different take .... Trump says Japan ‘very happy’ with North Korea talks that could bring ‘greatest deal’ (Japan Times). Japan's response so far has been only this .... Japan pledges to pay '£2m for nuclear inspections in North Korea in bid to help end its atomic programme' (The Independent), but I expect more tangible input from Japan when Japanese PM Abe meets President trump next month to discuss the North Korean issue.
7 comments:
Japan is slighted to be excluded from the Korean "peace" talks? Have they no memory of their past, no shame? An occupied country trying to become relevant.
the Japanese hate surprises! Try Dec 07, 1941
we have over 30 thousand troops in Japan and so, yes, an ally needs to be informed if not necessarily invited...In the early days of Korean War, many troops stationed in Japan sent asap to Korea to join in the war.
Was waiting for someone to make a crude pearl harbour joke...
Typical US behavior , and they cry why all their allies are unreliable
Fred,
I see no reason why Japan needed to be informed of this at all. This conflict is primarily between South Korea and North Korea. America has made a huge investment in South Korea both in its defense and its economy. Japan has made no such investment.
Furthermore, while South Korea needs to let go of the bitterness associated with the history with Japan, this hasn't happened yet. As such, to have involved Japan in this on any level would have undermined the entire process. Essentially Japan can contribute nothing to this, they don't have anything but a marginal stake, and involving them risks undermining the entire process to do so would have no benefit along with huge downside risks.
"We have over 30 thousand troops in Japan..." These troops serve there at the pleasure of the American government and the people who elect the American government and they are there to assist Japan in basic national defense. They are NOT to be used as Japan's b!tch boy nor are they to be used a Japanese policy arm foreign, domestic or otherwise. Unfortunately the Japanese do not fully understand this and this our fault as Americans. We have allowed to use us in the past and strongly implied they could continue to do so for an indefinite period and we would not protest. DJT called them out by name along with South Korea as not paying enough for the services that are receiving from America during the campaign. He was/is correct.
There is absolutely no good reason to inform Japan of anything pertaining to these negotiations. The fact that they would actually expect to be informed tells us allot of what we need to know about them and what it reveals does not speak well of them.
"In the early days of the Korean war...." Again, US forces are not to be used as an arm of Japanese policy to enforce their territorial claims or otherwise. If the US needed to deploy forces elsewhere, it would have the right to do so. For Japan to expect otherwise would be unreasonable.
Besides all this, don't the Japanese have spies within the US government to keep them informed of things like this. How could they have been or be surprised? I've long suspect POTUS and his team to be extremely clever. If they truly could pull this over on the Japanese and "surprise" them, this further confirms my thoughts.
As an anonymous poster here a few days ago pointed out, to paraphrase, DJT inherited a foreign policy that has been a mess for decades complete with a network of alliances that don't make sense. He is setting about cleaning up this mess and, if allowed to continue his work, would have these alliances slimmed down to only those who carry their weight. I would add these alliances need to add value to America. For example, do they contribute to American national security? Do they help the American economy grow?
During the campaign Japan and South Korea were rightly placed on notice. South Korea seems to be getting the clue. If Japan truly expected to be informed or even thought they should be, then it would seem they truly haven't gotten the message.
Did notth korea infirm china?
Fred,
I'm not sure if your question was directed to me. As I think I've alluded to elsewhere on this site, I think it highly likely that China not only knew about this but had a key role in getting North Korea this close to the negotiating table.
The editor believes China was shocked by this. I very much respect his opinion bht the more I think about this and research it the harder I find it to believe that China not only did not know but weren't actively involved. If nothing else, China's spies operating in the US government would have instantly informed them of this. I've long suspected POTUS and his team to be extremely clever. If they actually kept this secret from China, they are even cleverer than I thought!!
With all of this said, China would probably expect to be informed of any such moves by their North Korean ally that they've made an enormous investment in. In the same manner, the US would reasonably expect to be informed of any move of this type South Korea might make. After all we have made an enormous invesrment in that country and Nirth Korea has threatened to destroy us.
In the case of Japan, they aren't involved except for perhaps on the outer margins and there is little they can contribute. Furthermore distrust of Japan by South Korea makes such participation problematic even if there were benefit to it and was something they actually could contribute.
So, no Japan should not be informed or otherwise consulted on this in the current situation. If at a later date, there is benefit to consulting them it can be done at that time. If Japan actually expected to be consulted, this does not speak well of them.
Why didn't Japan's spies operating in the US government instantly inform their government of these happenings? DJT and his team are extremely clever but keeping these developments secret is even cleverer than I thought they were!!
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